Form issuing machine



1942- E. G. STRECKFUSS FORM IS SUING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 1 fi 5, j

INVENTOR. EL/wag GI ST Ecxr-uss. BY

ATTORNEYS.

"Feb. 10, 1942. E, STRECKFUSS 2,272,440

FORM IS SUING MACHINE INVENTOR. fill/Elf 62 ISTlfECKF'US-S.

Patented Feb. 10, 1942 2,272,440 FORM ISSUENG MACHINE Elmer G.Streckfuss, Cincinnati, Dhio, assignor to The Cincinnati Time RecorderCompany, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio application September8, 1939, Serial No. 293,997

8 Claims.

My invention relates to certain improvements in form issuing machines,which I have applied specifically to a certain machine forming the basisof my application for Letters Patent Serial No. 219,000, filed July 13,1938, in which a machine particularly adapted to issuing of insuranceforms upon deposit of a coin for the price thereof, is provided for. Insuch a machine the arrangement is such that the policies or other formsrequire the signature of the applicant on an original and a duplicate,but this signature must be placed on a form which is imprinted with thedate and hour at which'it is issued. Thus in that machine the policieswere delivered by the machine in plural copies with suitable transfercoating on the back ofthe outer form over a writing table. However theopening through which the policies were available for signature andentering of required data, was controlled by a window which was notreleased un til a coin was deposited. At the instant of opening thiswindow, a printing device which was time controlled, printed the date onthe particular form on which entries were to be made.

Thereafter the topmost form wasfed out of the machine, and theunderneath one stored therein, for company record.

The said machine was equipped preferably with a pin wheel feed device,not of my invention, and this feed device could not be operated I andwas locked against operation,'until a separate push button was depressedwhereupon one form length of material only was fed from the machine,which machine was then locked again.

It was found that this machine which required the tearing off of theissued form from a continuous sheet held otherwise within the machinesometimes led to difficulty, owing to the fact that the tearing oiiwould be ineffectively done, resulting in defacing the policy or theensuing form and clogging up the machine upon the next operation. It isto the end of providing a cut-off device for positively severing theissued form from the retained strip that my present invention isdirected.

It is my object to provide for an effective, easily timed rockingcut-01f knife operating in synchronism with the feed-out mechanism.

More particularly I employ the power used for effecting other operationsin the machine to place the knife under spring tension. Then at theconclusion of the feeding operation this tension is released and thspring operates the knife.

I am further enabled, having this cut-off knife,

to avoid the necessity of ever clamping the paper within the machine,as. by a plate covering the paper webs and holding them down on thepins, but controlled by a cam to clamp against the webs at the end ofeach feeding operation. Thus one of my improvements is a pair of plates,one a deflector for the retained form, and one a hold down for theissued form which work'quite well with the cut-off device to avoid anyclogging of the paper at the issue point.

Another advantage which might be noted is that the cut-off point is suchthat no edge of paper must project where it could be reached by a personendeavoring to tease a policy out of the machine without proper entry.Accordingly, I am able to add additional protection. Thus I have deviseda spout which is connected to the issue point from the cut-off knife andextends down through a considerable space, to its delivery mouth. Theform falls through this spout by gravity and the force of the issue, andthere is no way in which the machine can be tampered with by seizing aprojecting edge of paper, which is the case where a form must be tornoff from a retained strip. I

The above objects and other advantages to be noted, I accomplish by thatstructure ofwhich an example will be shown in the attached drawings. Thenovelty inherent in the structure, and which will be applicable to awide range of machines, will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figures 1', 2 and 3 are respectively a plan view, side view and frontview of a strip dispensing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation with parts broken away and certainparts in section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing an alternate position of certain ofthe parts seen in Fig. 4.

Fig- 6 is a plan view with parts broken away showing a portion of thestrip feeding mechanism and the cut-off knife during the period in whichthe feeding mechanism is in operation.

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line 'l'l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section illustrating the position of the cut-offknife after the strip has been severed.

Fig. .9 is a perspective of a bracket employed for supporting the knife.

I have not shown in all of its details the structure of my applicationfor Letters Patent Serial No. 219,000 above referred to, and wish tomake reference here to the said application for a complete description.It suflices for my present purpose to show the enclosing casing I, thecoin chute 2, the coin switch 3, and the paper support and feed devicesgenerally indicated at 4, omitting the printing mechanism, which is notessentially involved in my present invention. My invention hasimportance chiefly in form issuing machines with an enclosed casing,where a retained duplicate is kept in the machine, and where it isdesirable to avoid the necessity of tearing off the issued form from thestrips left in the machine for the next operation. Due to the fact thatmy present machine is electrically operated, I am enabled to utilize theinitial current supplied to the machine upon a solenoid, when a coin isdeposited, or a key turned or the like, to raise and place under springtension the cut-off knife, and thus at the close of the operation whenthe feed is completed I can, without use of power at the time thatcurrent supply is going off and the parts coming to a stop, simplyrelease the current to the solenoid which permits the knife to snap downand perform its function.

In other forms of machines, where it is necessary to move a shutter overthe paper support to disclose the form to be written upon by manualforce, I could use this manual force to raise and,

tension the knife, and release it with a latch at the close of themanual feed. It is better to get the knife clear out of the way beforethe paper I feed starts, hence it is best to use some other operationrather than the initiation of the feed to raise the knife. Any operationincident to placing the feed device in condition for operation wouldsufiice so far as the general aspects of my invention are concerned.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 when a coin is deposited in the coin slot 5it passes down through the chute 2 momentarily closing the switch 3 asit passes from the bottom of the chute into the coin receiving box 7.The chute 2 contains means for rejecting'spurious coins and any suchcoins are returned through the opening 8.

Momentary closing of the switch 3 causes the magnet 9 to attractarmature l which armature is pivoted at |0a and urged to the positionseen in Fig. 4 by a tension spring lflb. Movement of the armature closesthe contacts I! and I2 and engages the-*latch l3 which latch retains Ithe contacts in closed position until said latch is released as will belater described.

The closing of contacts H and |2,establish circuits which (by mechanismnot here shown) actuate the printing hammer I4 and retract the shutterl5 so that a portion of the strip I6 is exposed for applicants signaturethrough the opening I! in the casing I.

Also actuated by closing of contacts II and I2 a solenoid l9 attractsthe plunger to move the lever 2| and shaft 22 in clockwise directionagainst tension of spring 20a, as seen in the drawings. Thus theposition of the parts will be as seen in Fig. 5- and the cut-off knife,which is fixed to the shaft 22, will assume the position seen in Fig. 7where the knife is shown at 23.

As the applicant applies his signature to the strip IS a carbon coatingon the under side thereof duplicates saidsignature upon an underlyingstrip 24 which strip 24 is to be retained in the machine as indicated at25.

Also controlled by contacts II and I2 a branch circuit running to thestrip feeding machanism has a normally open switch 26. The switch 26 isof the push button type and is to be depressed after applicant hascompleted his signature and is ready to receive his copy of the policy.

Pressing the switch or button 26 completes the just mentioned circuitand energizes a motor (not shown) which motor, operating throughsuitable reduction gearing, drives the shaft 21 in a clockwise directionof rotation. Fixed to shaft 21 the pin wheels or sprockets 28 and 29engage perforations 30 at either side of the strips and push the stripl6 under knife 23 and into the curved delivery chute 3|. The strip 24having the duplicate signature is transferred to the pile 25 and a newsection of both strips is withdrawn from the pile 25a.

Fixed to the outer end of shaft 21 an arm 21a is provided with a stud211) which stud serves to release the latch I3 after shaft 21 has madeone complete revolution.

When the latch I3 is released the spring |0b returns the armature ID tothe position of Fig. 4. This breaks the circuit flowing through contactsI I and I2 and all mechanism within the machine is de-energized. As thisoccurs the spring 20a turns the shaft 22 and knife 23 incounter-clockwise rotation through an arc of movement sufficient tosever the advanced portion of the strip l6, allowing same to drop freelythrough the chute 3| where it emerges from the machine through opening3|a in the casing.

As illustrated in the drawings the knife 23 is formed of a rod having aportion thereof milled away so that the knife body is of semi-circularform. The cutting edge 23a of the knife is preferably formed as a slighthelix. To obtain shearing action the knife 23 operates against'the bar23b. For supporting the bar 23b and knife 23 in operative relation Iemploy brackets 32 and 33 one of which is shown in Fig. 9. The bracketshave holes 33a for screws 34 by which they are attached to the sideframe members 35 and 36 of the machine. Also provided in each bracketthe hole 31 provides bearing for the knife shaft 22. An inwardly bentportion 38 with a tapped hole 39 supports the fixed knife member 235which is retained by screws 230. Also retained by the screws 230 thesmall angle brackets 46 provide support for the hold-down plate 4| forstrip l6 as will be presently described. Adjustment screws 42 arearranged to bear against the member 23?) urging said member toward theknife 23. By forming elongated or oversize screw holes in member 23banaccurate adjustment of the cutting edges may be readily obtained, afterwhich the screws 230 are secured to retain the adjustment.

Referring to Figs. 4, 6, and 7 the paper support plate 5|] extends frombeneath the opening to the feed mechanism 4 at which point a pair ofupturned ears or lugs 5| are provided. These ears engage shoulders 52aof the deflector plate 52 to restrain the plate from being carried alongwith the paper. Extending downwardly from the shouldered portions 52athe ears 52b retain plate 52 in correct transverse alignment. At itsrear end the plate 52 rests on member 23b. As the plate is not fastenedin any manner it is readily removable for threading the machine. Cut outportions 520 in the plate permit the sprocket teeth or pins of the drivewheels to engage the strips I6 and 24. The strip 24 need not be severed,and when threaded into the machine is passed below the plate 23b (seeFig. 7).

The hold down plate 4| for the upper strip I6 is pivoted on a rod Ma,which rod has bearing in the brackets alreadymentioned. Cut-awayportions 4lb at each side of the plate eliminate interference with thesprocket teeth and an arch shaped projection Me has affixed at its outeredge a bent wire 60, said wire being arranged to brush against the outermargin of strip it: to insure engagement of the strip with the sprocketteeth. a

A guide member SI for directing the strip I into chute 3| is shownunderlying the knife 23. As shown, this member is fixed to the sideframes 35 and 36 by screws 62 and 63.

Referring again to the cut-off structure, it will be observed that theact of setting the machine into condition for operation energizes asolenoid l9, which sets the spring 20a on the knife bar into tensionedposition at the same time swin ing the knife bar upwardly, ready to cutoff the next set of forms to be fed. The operation of the knife bar iscaused by the movement of the shaft of the paper feeding device. At agiven point in its revolution, just before it comes to rest, this feedshaft trips the latch l3, whereupon the current is broken to thesolenoid through opening of the switch Ii, 12. The result is that theknife, being under tension of the spring, and raised by the initialaction of the solenoid i9, swings through its cutting stroke,

' when the paper movement has stopped, and cuts ofi the forms to alength determined by the single rotation of the feeding device.

It will be understood that various modifications of my invention willreadily occur and that I am not to be limited to the construction asshown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination with a form feeding device a cut-off structurecomprising a knife arranged to cut off a form, means operated byotherthan the form feeding device for placing said knife under tension,and means controlled by the form feeding device for releasing the saidknife at the close of a form feeding operation so as to permit itsmovement due to said tension thereby cutting off a form, said formfeeding device including an enabling element and means for requiringoperation of the knife tensioning means incident to operation of theenabling element.

2. In combination with a rotary form feeding device arranged for'singlerevolution operation to feed one form length of a continuous form perrevolution, an enabling element operated by other than the form feedingdevice requiring operation previous to each single revolution of saidfeeding device, a cut-off knife, means for placing said knife undertension incident to operation of the enabling element, and meansoperated by the feeding device at the end of a feeding revolution torelease the knife. whereby it moves under said tension to cut off a formlength which has been fed.

3. In combination with a form feeding device a cut-off structurecomprising a knife arranged to cut off a form, means operated by otherthan the form feeding device for placing said knife under tension, andmeans controlled by the form feeding device for releasing the said knifeat the close of a form feeding operation so as to permit its movementdue to said tension thereby cutting off a form, saidmeans for placingthe knife under tension comprising a solenoid.

4. In combination with a form feeding device a cut-off structurecomprising a knife arranged to cut oil a form, means operated by otherthan the form feeding device for placing said knife under tension, andmeans controlled by the form feeding device for releasing the said knifeat the close of a form feeding operation so as to permit its movementdue to said tension thereby cutting off a form, said means for placingthe knife under tension comprising a solenoid, an electric circuitrequiring to be closed previous to a feeding operation of the feedingdevice, and means requiring energization of the said solenoid incidentto closing the said electric circuit.

5. In combination with a form feeding device, a movable cut-off knife,means operated by other than the form feeding device for retracting saidknife against/spring tension, and means controlled by the form feedingdevice for releasing the knife from its retracted position at the closeof a form feeding operation, the said knife arranged to cut off a formwhen released, said means for retracting the knife comprising asolenoid, an electric circuit requiring to be closed previous to afeeding operation of the feeding device, and means requiringenergization of the said solenoid incident to closing the said electriccircuit.

6. In combination with a form feeding device means requiring closing ofan electric circuit incident to each feeding operation thereof, acut-off device arranged to sever forms fed by the feeding device,said'device comprising a solenoid in said circuit to retract the knifeupon closing of said circuit, a movable knife, and a spring opposing itsretraction, and means whereby the feeding device opens the said electriccircuit at the close of each feeding operation.

7. A cut-off device comprising a rocking knife, a bar against which therocking knife cuts and over which a strip to be cut off is fed, asolenoid, connections from the solenoid to rock the knife, and a springopposing said rocking movement, whereby it is necessary only to open thecircuit of the solenoid to cause the knife to perform a cuttingoperation due to the action of the spring.

8. In combination with a rotary pin feed for marginally apertured forms,in plural copies, a cutter bar, a cut-off knife cooperating therewith, agravity plate resting on the cutter bar and lying over the undermostform, a second gravity plate resting on the uppermost form, said platesbeing cut so as to leave the feed pins exposed, and means on the upperplate to engage the topmost form along its margin outside of theapertures.

ELMER G. STRECKFUSS.

